A Nigerian mum was taken aback when she attended an award/prize giving day in a school recently and a plaque was given to one of the students for being the ‘’Tallest female student” in her class.
Bewildered by the category for the Award, the woman made a video to vent while questioning the reason for such an award.
‘’Does this award make sense? Excellence award, rewarding the tallest in a class! Does it even make sense? Who are the regulators of the Education system in Nigeria? I think you have to start probing all these educational awards that private schools are releasing because I do not understand what is going on.
So what happens to the short person in class? Make the person go sleep abi? This does not make any sense at all.”
She also called out parents who berate their children for not clinching any award during prize-giving ceremonies.
‘’In the graduation I went to, I saw one woman really angry at her child for not coming first. I am wondering why do some parents especially mothers act like their entire existences depends on their child coming home with an award? Like if the child doesn’t come best in class or overall in something, suddenly there is sadness. They start doing comparison. Unnecessary pressure.
Listen, awards are nice. I applaud students who are extraordinary intelligent and come out with good academic awards. i applaud them but they are not everything.
A child who shows up everyday, that learns, improves, stays kind, stays curious, that child is doing very well my dear. Not every brilliant, responsible, creative child will have a shining plaque to show for it and that is very okay. Your worth as a parent is not measured by certificates. So why are you now reducing your child’s potential to a piece of cardboard or foldplated print? What you should focus on is growth and not just glory. Focus on the child’s character, notjust clapping because at the end of the day, life does not hand out trophies for every single good thing you do. Celebrate your child beyond awards”
Watch the video of her speaking below…
